Key facts
- President Trump announced plans to grant Ukraine a license to produce U.S.-made Patriot missiles.
- The decision aims to bolster Ukraine's defense against Russian attacks.
- The announcement was made during a press conference at the NATO Summit in Turkey.
- President Trump acknowledged he had not coordinated the decision with manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
- Russia launched missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, resulting in casualties.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on July 8 that he would grant Ukraine a license to produce U.S.-made Patriot missiles, a move that goes beyond Kyiv's requests for more systems and aims to bolster Ukraine's defense against Russian attacks. Trump stated during a press conference at the NATO Summit in Turkey that Ukraine would be able to 'make them yourself' to address the need for the defensive weapons.
Trump expressed confidence that Ukraine could produce the missiles quickly, but he also acknowledged that he had not coordinated the decision with the manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, ahead of the announcement. Patriot missiles have been crucial for Ukraine's defense, but U.S. production has struggled to meet demand from both Ukraine and Middle Eastern countries.
Separately, on July 8, Russia launched drones and ballistic missiles against Kyiv, killing four people and injuring 16. This marked the third ballistic strike on the capital in six days. Russian drones continued to attack Kyiv throughout the day, with further casualties reported. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that a drone strike hit a residential building.
In a related development, Ukraine's former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi warned against assuming Russia has lost the war, describing the conflict as a dangerous misreading of the strategic picture. He argued that the war is a war of attrition where tactical gains come at a high cost and that neither side can achieve a decisive outcome through deep-strike operations alone. Zaluzhnyi emphasized Ukraine's dependence on continued allied support, noting concerns about its long-term maintenance.